The present invention relates generally to ties and, more particularly, to ties which can be formed into a closed loop.
Ties are well known in the art and are widely used in a variety of different applications.
One tie which is well known and widely used in the art is the cable tie. Cable ties are commonly used in commerce to bundle together of a plurality of objects, such as a group of parallel wires.
One type of cable tie which is well known in the art comprises a serrated strap which is fitted to an apertured head. In use, the cable tie can be formed into closed loop by inserting the serrated strap through the apertured head. With the serrated strap inserted through the apertured head, an internal pawl, or locking tang, disposed within the apertured head lockably engages the serrations of the strap to prevent the strap from being backed out of the apertured head. In this manner, the engagement of the internal pawl onto the serrated strap secures the cable tie in its closed loop configuration.
A cable tie of the type described above is typically used in the following manner to bundle together a plurality of parallel wires. Specifically, with the plurality of wires grouped together, the strap of the cable tie is wrapped around the bundle of wires. The free end of the strap is then inserted through the apertured head so as to form a closed loop around the bundle. With the cable tie formed into a closed loop, the free end of the strap is advanced through the apertured head to cinch the cable tie strap tightly around the bundle.
In certain applications, it is often desirable to retain a group of wires bundled with a cable tie securely against a flat surface. In particular, in the automotive industry it is often desirable to retain a group of electrical wires bundled with a cable tie securely against an automotive panel so as to preclude the bundle from moving (i.e., rattling) within the automobile body during operation of the car.
Accordingly, cable ties are commonly provided with an insert fastener (also referred to herein simply as a fastener) which can be coupled to an automotive panel. Commonly, the insert fastener is integrally formed directly onto the head of the cable tie and is sized and shaped to fittingly penetrate through an existing opening in the automotive panel. When disposed through the opening, retaining members on the insert fastener engage the automotive panel so as to secure the fastener to the panel. In this manner, the plurality of wires which are bundled together by the cable tie are, in turn, retained against the automotive panel, which is highly desirable.
Insert fasteners are commonly constructed in a variety of different configurations. Christmas (or fir) tree type fasteners and arrowhead type fasteners are two well known types of insert fasteners which are commonly formed onto a cable tie. An example of a cable tie with a Christmas tree fastener is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,921,510 to J. C. Benoit et al., which is incorporated herein by reference. An example of a cable tie with an arrowhead fastener is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,333,822 to J. C. Benoit et al., which is also incorporated herein by reference.
Christmas tree and arrowhead type fasteners are typically manufactured with a profile which enables it to be fittingly inserted through an opening in an automotive panel which is circular in shape. However, it has been found that insert fasteners which are designed for penetration through circular openings suffer from a few notable drawbacks.
As a first drawback, insert fasteners which are designed for penetration through circular openings require a significant degree of precision by the user in deciding where along the length of the bundle around which the cable tie is to be wrapped. Specifically, each cable tie must be wrapped around the bundle of wires at the precise location along the length of the bundle such that the insert fastener is disposed in direct alignment with the circular opening in the panel. Stated another way, if a panel is provided with a pair of circular openings and a pair of corresponding cable ties (each of which includes an insert fastener) are used to bundle a plurality of wires, the distance between the pair of insert fasteners on the cable ties must be roughly equal to the distance between the corresponding pair of openings in the panel. Otherwise, one of the insert fasteners will not be in proper alignment for penetration through its associated circular opening in the panel.
As a second drawback, automotive panels are presently manufactured with slots which are rectangular in nature and, as can be appreciated, insert fasteners having a circular profile do not properly retain within a rectangular slot in a panel. Accordingly, because insert fasteners are typically designed for use with pre-existing openings in the panel, insert fasteners having a circular profile are often precluded from use with conventional automotive panels which include rectangular slots, which is highly undesirable.
As a third drawback, insert fasteners having a circular profile can not be secured to an automotive panel in such a manner so as to preclude its rotation about its longitudinal axis. Rather, since both the insert fastener and the opening include circular profiles, it is understood that the fastener is free to rotate about the center of the opening, which is undesirable in certain applications.
Accordingly, cable ties which include an insert fastener that is specifically designed for penetration through a rectangular slot are well known in the art. These types of cable ties typically include an insert fastener which has a rectangular profile. Examples of cable ties which include an insert fastener having a substantially rectangular profile include U.S. Pat. No. 5,385,321 to K. Kume et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 5,131,613 to H. Kamiya, et al., both of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown a flat automotive panel P which is shaped to define a slot S which is substantially rectangular in longitudinal cross-section. Substantially rectangular slot S is defined by a top edge 1, a bottom edge 3, a first side edge 5 and a second side edge 7, wherein top edge 1 and bottom edge 3 extend parallel to one another and wherein first side edge 5 and second side edge 7 extend parallel to one another. It should be noted that the lengths of top and bottom edges 1 and 3 are substantially longer than the lengths of first and second side edges 5 and 7. As a result, slot S has a length L which is greater than its width W.
Prior art insert fasteners of the type described above which have a substantially rectangular profile typically include a pair of outwardly projecting retention fingers. Each retention finger is adapted to pivot inward upon the application of a significant inward force thereon (i.e., a compression force applied to said fastener). Accordingly, in order to couple the insert fastener to panel P, the insert fastener is disposed through slot S. As the insert fastener is disposed through slot S, the tapered retention fingers contact selected portions of the edges in panel P which define slot S. As the insert fastener continues to be advanced through slot S, the tapered fingers inwardly compress to enable the insert fastener to project adequately through slot S. However, it should be noted that due to their resilient construction, the energy stored in the compressed retention fingers urges the fingers outward, thereby causing the fingers to continuously contact the edges formed in the panel P which define slot S. Eventually, the insert fastener is advanced until a portion of each finger (e.g., a shoulder or step formed at its free end) engages panel P. In this manner, the insert fastener is retained securely within slot S of panel P.
It should be noted that prior art insert fasteners having a substantially rectangular profile are designed such that its fingers engage first and second side edges 5 and 7 when inserted into slot S. As can be appreciated, the fact that the fingers of conventional, rectangular profile, insert fasteners engage first and second side edges 5 and 7 serves to limit the range of possible slot sizes with which the insert fastener can be used. Specifically, these fasteners can only be used with a slot S which has a particular length L, thereby limiting the potential range of possible slots with which these fasteners can be used, which is highly undesirable. In particular, these fasteners would be unable to fit within a slot having a length less than length L and, to the contrary, would fail to engage the side edges of a slot having a length greater than length L.
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the present invention to provide a cable tie which includes an insert fastener which is adapted to engage top edge 1 and bottom edge 3 (rather than side edges 5 and 7) when inserted through slot S. In this manner, such a fastener could be adequately retained within slot S regardless of its length L, which is highly desirable.